Jumping right into Deva, the trailer reveals little about the film or Kapoor's character. When asked about it, he responds with a knowing smile.
“We don't want you to know any more, mate. It's a thriller. We want you to get a feel of the film, but we don't want to reveal the plot to you. So that's a very deliberate thing that the filmmaker strongly felt,” Kapoor shares.
The film, which is Andrrews' foray into Bollywood, is rooted in the cop thriller genre, a space the filmmaker has successfully explored for nearly two decades in Malayalam cinema. Kapoor explains that Deva is built on suspense, and revealing too much would take away from the experience.
“He's very clear that he doesn't want people to know too much about the plot because the fun of this genre is to discover the film as it unfolds. So, yeah, that's very deliberate. This is a film that will tell you exactly what it's about in the theatres.”
'That's not what acting is about'
What we do see in the trailer is a man (Kapoor) who operates in shades of grey, raising questions about his motivations. But for Kapoor, playing morally complex roles is not about assessing their rights and wrongs-it's about understanding them.
“I always find it funny when people ask me whether I judge my characters,” Kapoor says.“Actors are not meant to play characters who are perfect, because that doesn't exist in real life. Life exists in different shades of grey-some things are almost white, some almost black.”
From the trailer of 'Deva', Shahid's character looks like he operates in shades of grey
His approach is simple yet profound: rather than sitting in moral judgement, he focuses on embodying the character's reality.“Acting is about understanding the character-their motivations, upbringing, complexities, emotional triggers, and how they evolve through the story. I never try to judge them. That's not what acting is about at all.”
This mindset allows Kapoor to immerse himself fully in his roles, presenting audiences with raw, human portrayals rather than sanitised versions of heroism. He has built a reputation as one of Bollywood's most versatile actors.
Being challenged creatively
For Kapoor, the challenge of Deva was twofold-physical and emotional. With the film featuring high-intensity action sequences, Kapoor had to push his body to the limit. But the demands didn't stop at just physicality.
“This was an extremely challenging film,” he admits.“There's a lot of action, and that kind of physicality is very demanding. But beyond that, we shot in real locations. There was no set-everything was real, raw, and rugged. That kind of environment pushes you in a way that's both difficult and creatively fulfilling.”
Kapoor describes Deva as a film that blends aggression with immersion.“The treatment of the film is very aggressive in parts, but also deeply moody and immersive in others. It's a fresh combination. The character itself is intense-he has a strong emotional arc, is deeply flawed, and carries a lot of emotional weight.”
Shahid's upcoming film features high-intensity action sequences
But rather than shying away from the challenge, Kapoor thrives on it.“That's what gets me going in the morning. If a role feels too easy, it's not exciting. Deva was tough, and I loved every bit of that toughness.”
Kapoor's passion for Deva is evident not just in the way he talks about his character, but also in the way he remembers the experience of filming it.“The team I worked with-Rosshan, Amit Roy on camera, and the rest-were all strong-minded professionals. The mood on set was intense and passionate. That's something I'll always remember.”
And when asked to describe Deva in just one word? He takes a beat before settling on his answer:“Shocking.”
Deva, which also stars Pooja Hegde, releases in UAE cinemas on January 31.